South Australia's iconic inland salt lake, Lake Eyre, is filling, bringing green, luscious landscapes to the dry desert and attracting thousands of species of wildlife from all over the state. Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre has coverage of 80 per cent and growing, having only flooded to 100 per cent three times in the last 160 years. The lake hasn't filled since 1974 but water from tropical cyclone Trevor in February 2019 is causing water to flow through a network of rivers from Queensland and drain into a basin covering one-sixth of Australia - about the size of Spain. The flooding has sparked the usually arid and inhabitable land to flourish with flora and attracted thousands of birds to the area. Small fish and crustaceans are flushed down with the floodwaters and provide an important food source for the migratory birds. This has made it a major tourist attraction, visible from land and sky, and travellers are encouraged to book a trip before the water starts to evaporate. How to get there and how to see it: The best way to see the natural wonder is by air. Fly from Adelaide to South Australia's legendary opal mining town, Coober Pedy, spend a couple of days exploring, then hit the skies for a tour over Lake Eyre with Wrightsair. More information about Lake Eyre can be found at SouthAustralia.com/travel-blog/kati-thanda-lake-eyre.

Tour Lake Eyre by plane to see it filling fast

VAST^: The expanse of Lake Eyre has started filling as floodwaters make their way down the river systems to South Australia. Photo: Felicity Brown, Chinta Air

South Australia's iconic inland salt lake, Lake Eyre, is filling, bringing green, luscious landscapes to the dry desert and attracting thousands of species of wildlife from all over the state.

Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre has coverage of 80 per cent and growing, having only flooded to 100 per cent three times in the last 160 years.

The lake hasn't filled since 1974 but water from tropical cyclone Trevor in February 2019 is causing water to flow through a network of rivers from Queensland and drain into a basin covering one-sixth of Australia - about the size of Spain.

The flooding has sparked the usually arid and inhabitable land to flourish with flora and attracted thousands of birds to the area.

Small fish and crustaceans are flushed down with the floodwaters and provide an important food source for the migratory birds.

This has made it a major tourist attraction, visible from land and sky, and travellers are encouraged to book a trip before the water starts to evaporate.